The best choice for a clear coating is often a specialized finish like pre-catalyzed lacquer—but that assumes you have a spray booth outfitted with high-end equipment. For most of us, polyurethane ...

It's not a common practice, but you can apply stain — if it's gel stain — over polyurethane. It won't penetrate like stain, so you won't get the same grain patterns. Think of gel stain as a type of ...